Results 8,321-8,340 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (9 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: On 24th March 2010, IBM announced the establishment of IBM's first Smarter Cities Technology Centre. The Centre will be located in Dublin where IBM will build a highly skilled and cross-disciplinary team to help cities around the world better understand, interconnect and manage their core operational systems such as transport, communication, water and energy. The new Smarter Cities...

Written Answers — Israeli Imports: Israeli Imports (10 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: In 2009 Ireland imported goods from Israel to the value of €82.4 million. In addition, services imports from that country for 2008, the last year for which data is available, were valued at €75 million. I understand that a preferential customs status applies for certain goods traded between the EU and Israel but that goods exported from illegal Israeli settlements cannot benefit from...

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I welcome the opportunity to support the Government's motion of confidence in the Taoiseach. The Taoiseach has, during the past two years, led a united Government, supported by the majority of Members in this House in implementing courageous policies that have won praise at home and abroad and have set Ireland on the road to economic recovery. Our resolute action and determination to act as...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: In consultation with the Department of Finance and the Office of Public Works (OPW), my Department opened an advance office in Carlow on 30 July 2007 for the staff of the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) and the Companies Registration Office (CRO). It is my understanding from the OPW, who have primary responsibility for the procurement of suitable office accommodation for the...

Written Answers — Employment Figures: Employment Figures (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The industrial development agency figures for job gains and losses are compiled annually in the Forfás Annual Employment Survey, the most up to date of which details employment figures up until 2009. The figures are in respect of numbers of persons employed in firms assisted by IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Shannon Development, which come under the aegis of my Department. As the...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Since the onset of the global downturn, Agencies and groups associated with my Department, including Forfás, EI, IDA and the National Competitiveness Council, have examined the underlying factors affecting Ireland's competitive position and our ability to grow indigenous enterprise, as well as continue to attract mobile international investment, with a view to returning to economic growth....

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 94 together. The National Competitiveness Council's report, "Benchmarking Ireland's Performance", provides a comprehensive assessment of Ireland's competitiveness on an annual basis. Our competitiveness is derived from a complex set of factors, not all of which are within our control. The factors with the greatest influence on our competitiveness are...

Written Answers — Employment Figures: Employment Figures (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 to 97, inclusive, together. The only figures available to my Department are those in respect of job gains and losses in client companies of the enterprise development agencies. The agency employment figures are compiled annually in the Forfás Annual Employment Survey, the most up to date of which details figures for jobs lost and gained up until 2009....

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Following the Taoiseach's announcement in Dáil Éireann on March 23rd 2010 regarding the transfer of various Departmental functions, responsibility for the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) has now moved from the Department of Education and Skills to my Department. A comprehensive assessment process for PRTLI Cycle 5 was undertaken by an international panel and this...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Information on salary, allowance and overtime payments to named individuals working for a named employer constitutes "personal data" for the purposes of the Data Protection Acts as the individuals concerned are or can be identified from the data. Such data in respect of staff of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation is held for the purposes of paying appropriate levels of salary,...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have been informed by IDA Ireland that from the beginning of January 2009 to the end of May 2010 there have been a total of 51 site visits to County Cork (including the City). Typically, a company is shown three or four selected towns, which can meet its requirements for skills, labour, site and/or buildings and infrastructure. In selecting locations to show companies, IDA Ireland seeks to...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Renewed Programme for Government contains a specific commitment to "implement a Code of Practice for doing business in the Grocery Goods sector to develop a fair trading relationship between retailers and their suppliers" and "to review progress of the Code and if necessary to put in place a mandatory code". The introduction of a Code is intended to ensure that there is a fair balance in...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the name of my Department was officially changed on 2nd May last from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. The estimated costs associated with this name change are anticipated to be in the region of €10,000. This includes the costs of stationery, signage and changes to my Department's website....

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The 35 County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) were set up in 1993 to provide support for micro-enterprises in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level. The CEBs deliver a series of Programmes to underpin this role and they can provide both financial and...

Written Answers — Employment Figures: Employment Figures (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 to 111, inclusive, together. The Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on job gains and losses in companies that are supported by the industrial development agencies. Data is compiled on an annualised basis and is aggregated at county level. Details of the number of new jobs created and jobs lost, as well as the number of people employed in IDA...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department does not provide direct funding or grants to businesses but provides funding to a number of State Agencies, including the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) and Enterprise Ireland, through whom assistance is delivered directly to businesses. Subject to certain eligibility criteria new and developing micro-enterprises may qualify for financial support from the CEBs in the...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (15 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department does not provide direct funding or grants to businesses but rather provides funding to a number of State Agencies, including the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) through whom assistance is delivered directly to businesses. Subject to certain eligibility criteria new and developing micro-enterprises may qualify for financial support from the CEBs in the form of Priming,...

Departmental Agencies (16 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The report of the special group on public service numbers and expenditure programmes made a number of recommendations addressed directly to my Department. The Deputy has outlined most of these recommendations in his question. In the time available, it is not possible to address all of the recommendations in the special group's report relating to my Department in detail. However, I am...

Departmental Agencies (16 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The report contains a total of 17 recommendations in respect of my Department. As already stated, eight have been accepted and will be implemented. We believe that four or five of the others are not appropriate and I can list these for the Deputy and provide reasons as to our why we perceive them in this way.

Departmental Agencies (16 Jun 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Some of the recommendations will not provide the savings envisaged. The special group was interested in bringing about savings. One of its recommendations related to merging the Irish Takeover Panel with the Competition Authority. I am informed that such a merger could lead to an unnecessary policy conflict and would not be in line with best international practice. As a result, the...